A stent-graft is typically used to provide a prosthetic intraluminal wall. For instance, in the case of a vascular stenosis or aneurysm, the stent-graft may provide an unobstructed conduit for blood in the area of the stenosis or aneurysm. A stent-graft may be endovascularly deployed in a body lumen (e.g., a blood vessel) at the site of a stenosis or aneurysm by so-called “minimally invasive” techniques. These techniques can include compression of the stent-graft radially inward for intraluminal delivery via catheter to the target site, and/or use of a known “cut-down” technique at a location where the target blood vessel is accessible through the patient's skin. When the stent-graft is positioned at the correct location, the stent-graft is caused or allowed to re-expand to a predetermined diameter in the vessel.
Accurately positioning a stent-graft prior to deployment can present challenges, such as impairment of blood flow through a target vessel during deployment. Furthermore, deployment of a stent-graft within a thoracic aorta (ascending aorta) may implicate added maneuverability and placement challenges of higher blood flow rate and pressure as compared to lower flow and pressure conditions within an abdominal aorta (descending aorta). For these and other reasons, a user may desire a stent-graft which reduces disruption of fluid flow during deployment.